Episode Summary: After the fire that nearly took Dib's life, Zim is in jail awaiting his trial where he struggles to forgive his race for all they have done to him. Meanwhile as the cadets go on trial for said crimes Cadet Scamooch struggles with the guilt that he feels for Joseph and continues to second guess the ways of his people.
Author's Note: Thank you for reading and please review! By the way Kebarton your new Character the Irken Goalit will be introduced in this Episode! Of course, all credit goes to you. I really hope you are pleased with how he turned out!
Episode 11: Inner Demons (Part1)
(145 years ago)
"Cadets take your seat!"
Cadet Zim sat down at one of the many lab tables in the room with a look of purpose on his face. It had been three months since he had begun his training as an Irken soldier and for once in his life Cadet Zim finally felt like he belonged.
"Now today you are going to create something." One of Cadet Zim's Instructors, Sargent Maize continued to address the class of cadets before her. "What that something is will be solely up to you but remember an Irken soldier takes pride in his work and only creates for the sake to better their own race."
Zim smiled this would be easy 'I've created several blueprints for inventions I'll just pick one!' he said to himself and quickly went to work.
Cadet Skoodge looked over his shoulder showing much interest. "Whatcha working on?"
Cadet Zim forced himself to resist the urge to punch him...
It wasn't easy. Even after telling the cadet that he didn't want to be his friend anymore, Cadet Skoodge chose to ignore these claims saying that everyone needed at least one friend in the academy. And even though Cadet Zim hated to admit it, it was nice to have someone to talk to about training, and which instructors they liked or disliked. Zim forced a smile, "It's one of my inventions; an Energy absorber if I make it right it will have the power to absorb energy from anything; Irk will never have to worry about power outages ever again!"
"That's impressive Cadet but I would prefer that you didn't talk in my class." Sargent Maize cut in.
Cadet Skoodge gave a nervous smile and turned back to his own work now Cadet Zim really wanted to punch him but instead he bowed his head and said. "Yes, ma'am I apologies for my outburst I just got excited about our assignment that I forgot where I was."
"It happeneds to the best of us Cadet now all of you continue working for you will have the honor to show your inventions to Tallest Miyuki." Sargent Maize explained.
Now Cadet Zim was really excited! He set to work once more eager to show his Tallest the fruits of his efforts.
"Did you hear that Red" Cadet Purple mused "Their showing their inventions to Tallest Miyuki!"
Cadet Red rolls his eyes, he and Purple had been following Zim around for months now awaiting the perfect moment of opportunity to sabotage him. Cadet Red simply wanted to kill him and get it over with, but Cadet Purple insisted that they be careful and settle with getting Zim labeled as a defective that way Zim would be sentenced to death, and they wouldn't have to get their hands dirty. Cadet Red of course agreed with this plan, but he didn't like the fact that they spent most of their day following Zim around and hiding in the strangest of places.
And the strange hiding place of the day just so happened to be the air ducts! Cadet Red didn't know whether to strangle his purple eyed companion or just stiffen a groan. Naturally, he chose the latter and said "We'll wait until they break for lunch and then we'll swoop down and add a little something to his project. Then when it messes up in front of Tallest Miyuki she'll see just how defective he is. Then the Computer Brains will sentence him to death!"
Cadet Purple nodded his agreement and then they waited...and waited...and waited...and waited...and waited!
Finally, Sargent Maize stood and said, "Cadets stop what you're doing and line up for lunch."
Cadet Zim imminently stopped his work and filed into the line by the door, once all the cadets were lined up Sargent Maize marched them out of the room.
"Okay let's hurry!" Cadet Red ordered as they jumped down into the room from the air duct.
"What should we put in it?" Cadet Purple asked?
Cadet Red looked around and picked up a green vile. "Here put this in it!"
Cadet Purple obeyed popping off the lid and pouring the vile's green contents all over Cadet Zim's project.
"Now let's get out of here before we're caught!" Cadet Red ordered and began to climb back up the into the air duct.
Cadet Purple followed suit and soon they were both out of sight.
For a moment, the classroom is still, and then Cadet Zim's project begins to grow and morph into a big green blob like creature that begins to wreak havoc around the class. It eats everything insight and then runs out through the open door!
(Moments later in the Irken Mess Hall...)
"You should have seen the way Sargent Maize made you jump." Zim laughed at Cadet Skoodge as they set down to eat their lunch.
"Me!? At least I didn't act like the suck up of the century!" Cadet Skoodge scoffed. "Why yes ma'am I apologizes for my outburst I just got excited about our assignment that I forgot where I was." He mocked Cadet Zim high pitch tone so well that Cadet Zim couldn't find the nerve to slap him.
"Well at least I apologized, you were talking too yeh know!" Cadet Zim scowled.
"All rise for The Almighty Tallest Miyuki" A service Drone announced.
Everyone in the mess hall rose as Tallest Miyuki walked in followed by Cadets Red and Purple. The three headed to the main table in the front of the hall and sat down.
"You may all be seated." Tallest Miyuki ordered.
Cadet Zim took his seat and smiled slightly as the rest of the Cadets began to whisper about Tallest Miyuki. Most of them had never seen her so up close before, Zim on the other hand had; more than once!
"Can you believe it we get to see her a whole hour early?" Cadet Skoodge exclaimed.
Cadet Zim smiled. This was one of those rare moments that he was thankful to have Cadet Skoodge around, after all the Cadet knew he was an Amon in fact he seemed to be the only one who remembered him from those first Ten years of his life. This of course didn't surprise him after all he was so short that there were times when they forgot to feed him, because he'd be overlooked due to his height! But Cadet Skoodge never forgot him, and Cadet Zim was grateful to that, he only wished the Cadet wasn't so annoying!
"Yes, how lucky we must be to be here on this rare occasion." Cadet Zim said in obvious fake awe!
Suddenly a loud roar filled the room as a Cadet Zim's project, which is now as big as two classrooms comes storming into the room devouring everything in sight including other cadets and some of their instructors! The Mess Hall becomes a hurricane of madness as everyone tries to escape the monster's jaws.
"Is that what I think it is?!" Cadet Purple screeched from his and Cadet Red's hiding place under a long table.
"It's Zim's project" Cadet Red shivered. "That stuff you put in must have made it come to life!"
"Hey, don't look at me." Cadet Purple yelled "You told me to do It!"
The beastly green blob stops in front of them and eats the table that they are hiding under!
"AHHHHHH!" Cadets Red and Purple scream in unison!
Suddenly Tallest Miyuki jump out in front of them protectively "Run you two now!" she yells.
The two waste no time and get to their feet at once but before they can move any further the Monster gulps up Tallest Miyuki!
Suddenly the royal guard shows up and shoots lazars at the beast. The green blob roars loudly but does not let Tallest Miyuki go, instead it eats a hole into the nearest wall and escapes taking Tallest Miyuki with it!
Everyone just stands there in utter shock and disbelief, there leader just got swallowed whole right before their eyes and they didn't even know why!
"Well that didn't go as plan!" Cadet Purple sighed as he and Cadet Red rushed out of the room.
"None sense I think it went perfectly!" Cadet Red mused.
"But Zim won't be found responsible especially if that Thing ate all the evidence!" Cadet Purple exclaimed.
"Yes, but look at it this way, we are now one position away from becoming the Tallest!" Cadet Red pointed out.
Cadet Purple thought this over for a moment then said, "You know what your right! Now all we have to do is come up with another plan which means -"
"Yeah I Know..." Cadet Red shivered at the realization "We have to keep watching Zim!"
(Back in the destroyed Classroom...)
"Now all of you, I want this mess picked up at once!" Sargent Maize ordered her class who were now back in their classroom, or at least what was left it!
Zim and his fellow cadets began to clean up the mess.
"Hey what's this?" Cadet Skoodge held up a tray covered in green goop.
"Hey that's my-" Zim froze as he sees the green goop. 'That monstrosity was my project, but it wasn't supposed to do that! How could it have gone so terribly wrong!' Zim stopped as he noticed an empty vile with some green liquid still dripping from it by Cadet Skoodge's feet. Cadet Zim picked it up thoughtfully "MMM" he sniffed the vile and his eyes widen. "Skoodge this is life serum do you know what that means?"
Cadet Skoodge thought for a moment then said, "Not a clue."
Cadet Zim rolled his eyes "It means my project got covered with this stuff, that's how it came to life!"
"But how did it happen." Cadet Skoodge asked. "I mean we were all at lunch so who...?"
Cadet Zim looked at the vile thoughtfully as Cadet Koi's warning echoed in his mind.
"You should be careful Zim."
"Why what do you care? You hate my guts Koi!"
"My feelings towards you have nothing to do with this! I am serious Zim it's dangerous out there. They don't treat you the same way your used to, and if you do something stupid no one will come to your rescue!"
"I know that! I'm not stupid Koi, and I certainly don't need anyone's protection!"
"The Irken Empire isn't exactly forgiving towards Shews, if you make one mistake you could be labeled as a defective."
"Again, I don't need your help or your advice!"
Just promise me you'll be careful Zim please."
"You have nothing to worry about, I'll be careful I promise…"
Zim's eyes narrowed suspiciously "Yes..." he whispered "Who indeed..."
(Present Day)
Numb...
He had never felt so numb before...
Joseph sighed as the hours crawled by him, he hadn't slept; he was far too busy worrying about Josh to sleep.
There was an annoying tapping as the inmate in the cell beside him continued to kick the bars with his foot. However, Joseph was far too angry to care about such things.
His anger of course was directed at last night's events.
'How could I have been so stupid!' he screamed inwardly. 'I know how vile my people are, I should have known they were not worth saving!' And yet he had hoped he could save both sides of this war. 'Maybe Dib's right, perhaps I have been on this planet too long.' He thought.
However, Joseph knew this planet had nothing to do with his feelings towards his people; time, and time again he had forgiven them for their crimes against him. He was well aware of their crimes against him, and yet he choose to turn a blind eye to their crimes. After all ignorance is bliss!
How many times had they laughed behind his back?
And worse, at his very face?!
Countless of times!
How many times had they set him up for failure in hopes of getting rid of him?
More than he dared to realize!
Yes, he knew the true culprits behind his disastrous case of bad luck!
It wasn't hard to come to the conclusion of what Koi was really warning him about that day...
"My feelings towards you have nothing to do with this! I am being serious Zim it's dangerous out there. They don't treat you the same way your use to, and if you do something stupid no one will come to your rescue!"
Just promise me you'll be careful Zim please."
It was clear Koi thought someone was out to get him, and his rogue science experiment proved as much; sadly, it didn't take him long to discover the culprits.
Zim couldn't say he was surprised, even though he had stepped down, the other Amons would still see him as a threat to their future success. He knew the culprit had to be one of the other four Amons in his class.
Cadet Nine was the first off his list, seeming how she was female, and the only one of the class; she had no reason to fear that her position could be taken away from her considering the fact that she was second in command of an all-female unit!
Next off the list was Koi! Why warn him if he was responsible?
Of course, that only left two possible culprits, and Zim knew that if one of them was in it they both were...
Purple and Red! They were out to get him, as much as he hated it; it was true, and he had always known it to be so, but he ignored the obvious because they were the future Tallest, and he knew he'd only be making the matter worse!
Besides, he knew they were good for the part, or at least that had been his belief, and he thought that if he showed them he was not a threat to their future position that they would stop.
They never did!
No matter how hard he tried they were relentless, which would only make him try harder!
But now it would seem he could no longer forgive his leaders or his people so easily, and if he was honest with himself he would admit that he really didn't want to.
He was tired of fighting for people who didn't appreciate his help!
And this time he was tempted to listen to their obvious requests to bug out of their lives for good!
He could do it after all, with Tak's new disguise Tech, and his underwater base; he could invent a whole new identity for himself once this war was over. Only Dib and Gaz would know, and he could live his days here on Earth.
Were he would soon outgrow the ones he'd love, they would one day pass on, and;
He would be forever alone...
Yes, that was his destiny!
To be alone...forever!
Joseph sighed once more, he wish he could mustard the strength to forgive them once more, for deep down he still wanted to believe both sides could be saved.
However, he now realized he would have to pick a side, and since one side was already rejecting him there was only one way to go.
He was with the humans, and he would stay, and for now on every other Irken was simply in the way!
Besides, they were all monsters, yes they had showed their true colors, and Zim was done with turning a blind eye! No, he would not forgive them, not this time!
(Back with Cadet Scamooch...)
He came to in a small dimly lit cell...
Cadet Scamooch groaned, sitting up as he looked around the cramped space.
For a moment he doesn't remember how he got here, than with a gasp he remembers.
Cadet Rene and the rest of his fiendish friends had attacked him in the alley, Joseph had helped him; and he had paid a horrible price for doing so.
"They were right about you!" Cadet Scamooch flinched as Joseph's words sliced through his mind. "Your all monsters I hate you, I hate you all!"
The cadet growled in frustration, clutching his skull because it felt like a hundred little men with sledgehammers were trying to break out. However, he soon pushed the pain aside for he had more pressing issues to think about.
He was in jail, sure he would most likely be seen as the victim of the situation, but that only made things worse. The computer brain would question him as a witness to last night's events, meaning he had to choose a side!
Did he snitch on the cadets, and tell the computer that Joseph was helping him. That he lashed out at him in anger and confusion; simply unaware of his own crimes due to his state of mind?
Or did he sale Joseph out, and spare being labeled as a snitch among his peers?
It was a very difficult decision, one that he could not take lightly.
Cadet Scamooch squinted as the light from his cell window began reflecting from the walls. The entire place, with the exception of the bars at the front, was carved from solid granite. He stood up from the ground and walked over to the bars. It took precisely four steps. He gripped the bars and looked out. A narrow corridor was bored out of the same granite as his cell. About fifteen point twenty-four meters from his cell to the left, was a lot more sunlight.
Based on the position of the sun, he put it at approximately mid-morning which meant it was probably already about 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The cadet groaned again as the dread began to settle in. There would be no one to bail him out this time or tell him what decision to make.
No, this time he was on his own...
'I owe Joseph for saving my life.' He told himself. 'But taking Rene's side might put me back in the good graces of my peers.' He knew it was a selfish reason, but it was the likely choice for an Irken to make.
His decision was made...
'Sorry Joseph but I have to think of my future.' He told himself.
Unfortunately for Scamooch however,
Said reasoning did nothing to eliminate the ever-growing regret within him!
(Back with Gaz...)
This was it...
Finally, today was the day she would be free from this awful cage!
Gaz waited in intense anticipation as she counted down the seconds before her release. However, as the seconds turned into minutes, and those turned into hours she began to slowly realize that for whatever reason her release just wasn't going to happen that day.
She cursed silently and resisted the urge to scream! She had to be patient; she couldn't afford to blow this chance.
Her world was depending on her, and so was Zim! Her brother would be safe as long as she cooperated, or so the Tallest claimed, but no matter what she did Zim would be in harm's way, and her getting out just might be the key to saving his life.
And her brother's as well.
"Just be patient." She whispered to herself. "It will all be over soon."
Unfortunately for her however soon just wasn't soon enough!
(Back with Tak...)
To say she was in a bad mood was an understatement...
Tak growled miserably as she entered the grand courthouse located on Zec. According to the message delivered to her PAK some cadets got in a stupid fight with a human and burned down a house resulting in the injury of one other human, as well as the destruction of human property. The message had decreed that all Irkens must attend the hearing for the accused.
Why?
Because these crimes were a perfect example of fuel for the already out of control fire in their mist. That fire being the Resistance of course! The Tallest wanted to make it perfectly clear that crimes against the humans would only fuel a larger rebellion, and to assure it never happens again they must make an example out of the accused!
And you can't make an example without an audience to witness it!
Tak rolled her eyes as she entered the grand courthouse and took her seat. She could only imagine Gaz's frustration, but she could only hope the human girl didn't do anything to ruin their plans.
'Stay strong for me Gaz.' She pleaded to herself. 'Everything is still going according to plan; you'll be out soon; and then they'll all pay!' She vowed.
It was a promised she planned to keep!
-To Be Continued